


cliche love songs to fill the silence

by odetodun



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Cheesy Love Songs, Fluff, Internalised Homophobia, M/M, Richie is a soft boy, eddie hates dances and himself, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 11:15:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13657863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/odetodun/pseuds/odetodun
Summary: Eddie refuses to go to a school dance. Richie wants to know why.





	cliche love songs to fill the silence

**Author's Note:**

> this is unedited at the moment.

Eddie hated school dances, he hated how everyone got too excited. He had faith in his little group of losers, they were social outcasts. But, as he sat down at lunch, the dance this weekend was the topic of conversation.

“Eds, my gorgeous little friend, are you definitely not going to the dance?” Richie asked as Eddie settled in next to him.

“No,” Eddie replied bluntly, taking a bite out of his apple, “I hate dances”. Richie looked at him for a second before turning his attention back to the group. They probably all thought he was a party pooper or whatever, but Eddie wouldn’t let them know the real reason he hated dances.

“I asked Michelle, she was more than happy to oblige” Richie grinned, Eddie’s grip on his apple got awfully tight.

“Obviously lover birds are going together” Mike nodded his head towards Bev and Ben who both smiled in unison. They were sickeningly cute Eddie thought to himself.

“I have to go, the school council ask us all to show our faces” Stan told them.

“I’m t-taking Audra and Mike’s g-going to keep S-Stan company” Bill finished, six pairs of eyes trailed to Eddie.

“I’m not going, I’ve told you all multiple times that dances are not my thing and I don’t want to” Eddie finished the conversation before anyone else could argue their point.

“It could be fun Eddie Spag-“

“I’m not fucking going okay,” Eddie stood up abruptly as everyone turned to him, “I’m going to the library to study”. With that, Eddie bolted out of the cafeteria and found some solace alone in the library.   
      It was Friday, and Eddie was alone in his room whilst all his friends were heading to the dance. He tried to pretend he wasn’t sad, but dances weren’t good for people like him. Full of couples dancing together, girls in pretty dresses and boys in rented suits. Eddie was an outsider to that culture of sorts, if he turned up to the dance how he would’ve wanted - Derry High would have something to say about it.   
     Bill had been his only friend to confide in years ago, when Eddie spat out he might like boys like Bill liked girls. But that was a distant memory, back when they were too young to comprehend the consequences of that statement. Eddie had seen what happened to gay people, they were ostracised, kicked to the curb by everyone they loved. Eddie didn’t want that, he was content on pretending for the rest of his life. Finding a suitable wife to settle down with, living a fake life whilst his skin crawled with the secret inside of him. Eddie didn’t need anyone to know he was gay.   
       There was a knock on his window around eight, Eddie’s head shooting up to be greeted by Richie’s lopsided grin. Sighing loudly and putting his books away, Eddie went to open his window so the tall boy could wriggle through.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie asked, fiddling with the hem of his t shirt. Richie was in a suit, tight fitting black pants matched with a white shirt that had the two top buttons undone and a red tie hanging loosely around his neck.

“The dance was kinda shit Eds, you should’ve been there for the chucks” Richie shrugged, his dress shoes scuffing against Eddie’s painfully beige carpet.

“What about Michelle?” Eddie tried not to sound bitter, he really did. Richie looked away from Eddie briefly, down at his feet.

“Michelle doesn’t really matter, she wasn’t really into me anyway” Richie replied, Eddie saw how dejected he looked. Eddie felt a burst of anger, Richie being rejected was the last thing the boy deserved. He was funny, kind hearted and always put others before himself.

“Rich I’m so-“

“Why didn’t you want to go to the dance? There has to be an actual reason?” Richie cut him off, dark blue eyes meeting Eddie’s. Eddie didn’t answer, just sat back in the bed and fiddled with his hands anxiously.

“Did we pressure you? You know we don’t mean to push you into things I just thought you might enjo-“

“Dances aren’t for people like me” Eddie squeaked out the words that had been running through his thoughts the last few weeks.

“What do you mean? People like you” Richie was sitting on Eddie’s desk chair, pointed towards Eddie. Eddie couldn’t believe how gorgeous he was, it was slightly infuriating. Eddie could’ve spent his entire life easily pretending to be straight if it weren’t for Richie and his dumb gorgeous face and his brilliant personality.

“Richie I don’t want to have this conversation, please” Eddie begged quietly, Richie leaned back for a moment - opening and closing his mouth as if finding something to say.

“Is it because you didn’t have a date? Stan and Mike didn’t, they spent most of the time together anyway - not everyone has to have a date” Richie pointed out.

“You did? You didn’t go alone” Eddie replied, looking away from Richie’s questioning stare again. There was a stagnant silence, Eddie knew he’d have to explain himself - but was he ready for someone to know properly? Would Richie run at the first mention of Eddie liking boys? There was far too many bad things floating through Eddie’s mind right now.

“Dances aren’t for people like me because- because boys are meant to go with girls and dance under the stupid lights to tacky love songs. I didn’t want to go with a girl,” Eddie stopped himself before inhaling and carrying on, “I’m not like them, I want to go to dances with boys and dance with boys. It’s dirty and wrong and I hate myself for it”. Once it started, Eddie couldn’t stop. His breathing grew erratic as he burned holes into his feet with a harsh stare.

“There’s nothing wrong with that” Richie was quiet, his reply came after a painful minute of silence. Eddie’s head whipped up so quickly he got head rush. Richie was watching him carefully, no criticism or judgment on his face.

“Rich, you’ve seen what they do to people like me?” Eddie didn’t want to cry, not in front of anyone. He’d wasted so many tears on how he felt.

“The people that do those things are cruel and heartless. Eds, you’re allowed to love who you love” Richie was closer now, crouched down by Eddie’s knees. A large, rough hand was on Eddie’s thigh and Eddie pretended the touch wasn’t electric. Eddie smiled unconfidently, Richie moved and crossed Eddie’s room to his radio. Flicking through Eddie’s song choices, he pulled out a cassette and placed it in the player. Celine Dion’s, Power of Love, crooned out through the small speakers. Eddie was a sucker for cheesy romance songs.   
      Richie held out his hand, Eddie reached out and clasped it - Richie pulling him to his feet and into his space. Richie’s other hand was placed on Eddie’s waist, Eddie hooking his free arm around Richie’s neck.

“You know I can’t dance” Eddie was blushing profusely, Richie looked down at him with a twinkle in his eye.

“Neither can I Eds” Richie pulled Eddie closer to him lightly, the pair moving about Eddie’s bedroom in a messy, unpracticed rhythm. Eddie dropped his head to Richie’s chest and sighed out, this felt almost too good to be true.

“Eds, can I uh- tell you something?” Eddie looked up, eyes meeting Richie’s. Eddie nodded slowly, curls falling in his eyes. Richie dropped Eddie’s hand where it was outstretched and moved the curls gently, thumb tracing across Eddie’s cheek bone.

“I asked Michelle because you said weren’t going and I wanted to go with you, she was a back up plan” Richie said honestly, blue eyes meeting Eddie’s cautiously.

“Why would you want to go with me?” Eddie asked, his arm still around Richie’s shoulder. Both of Richie’s hands were on either side of his waist now, his left thumb rubbing light circles into Eddie’s side.

“Because I want to dance with you in your room to fucking Celine Dion and hold your hand, and just- I’m bad at this Eds, but I want you” Richie only met Eddie’s gaze on the last three words. Eddie stopped moving - his free hand squeezing Richie’s bicep. He was so unsure about this, if Richie was having him on - this was some dumb joke. But the vulnerable sincerity on Richie’s face made Eddie certain of his next move. He got on his tip toes, using his arm around Richie’s neck to pull him down slightly and slotted their lips together. It was brief and Celine Dion was still playing in the background but it was everything Eddie had ever wanted, and more.

“Shit Eds I-“

“Can I kiss you again?” Eddie said, Richie nodding so fast his glasses almost slipped off. Eddie pushed their lips together with more force this time, opening his mouth for Richie’s tongue to slip in. Eddie felt Richie grin and he pulled away with a similar expression.

“Let me tell you Eds, this is better than any damn dance that school could do” Richie smiled, his forehead resting against Eddie’s.

“I’m glad I didn’t go” Eddie pecked Richie’s lips again, he was very glad he didn’t go.

**Author's Note:**

> weee some fluff for once!
> 
> kudos and comments are much appreciated!
> 
> come see me on tumblr; 89sreddie


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